The OFFICIAL Unofficial Achewood Message Board
Trivial Pursuits => Wild Card => Topic started by: linnea on January 02, 2008, 01:58:48 am
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Okay, party people. I need help from fellow pet owners. My mom got the little boys some cheap cat toys from China for Christmas. One of them is a toy penis that is probably made from Chinese cat fur. Anyway, I noticed today that its TAIL IS GONE. That means that dollars to doughnuts, one of the bad cats ate the tail. I'm unsure who it was, since both Milan and Lennybruce were entranced with the toy penis. I examined the toy penis's remaining tail stump, and it looks like its tail is made from suede.
Do you think they ate off the tail, or do you think it might be lying around somewhere? I can't afford to take them to the vet, but I will have to if they start showing s/s of illness (fever, lethargy, shitting blood).
Dammit. I'm not sure what I should do. Do you think they'll digest the suede tail, or do you think it will hurt them?
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I wouldn't worry about it unless they show some symptoms. If it's suede, (i.e. leather a/k/a cowhide) they should be able to digest that just fine. They're little carnivores, you know?
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How big is the missing piece?
I agree with AW that I wouldn't do anything in the absence of symptoms. One thing is that I'd keep looking carefully under all the furniture before I panicked. I don't know how all the cat toys end up there, but they do. Another is, if you have a decent vet you should be able to ask them on the phone if they think this is something you need to bring them in for, and what symptoms to watch for if not.
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Seems this is a common problem. (http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=153080) But I am too sleepy to find any more authoritative advice right at the moment.
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The missing piece is about 1.5 inches long, so it's pretty small. But I also don't know how that translates to kitty intestine sizes.
Thanks for that link. It looks like I'll need to watch for any obstruction symptoms: ie: nausea, vomiting, excessive salivation, straining to defecate. I doubt any of them will present, but if they do, a trip to the vet would be necessary.
I just smeared a huge amount of cat hairball remedy on both of the little dudes. They're gonna get more tomorrow.
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I wouldn't worry. My guys would eat a pound of tinsel each every Christmas. Nice, shiny poop in the litterbox.
How much lead could even the Chinese get into a little ribbon of suede?
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If it's any comfort, we buy the chats similarly chintzy mice (mostly because they destroy them at the same rate as really nice expensive ones), which are fairly regularly gnawed on thoroughly and sometimes de-tailed, and we have yet to see any signs of trouble. Well, one of the cats is pretty slow and dopey, but he's been like that since Small Times.
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Huh. We've always given them toy mice, and the tails and eyes always disappear. I have never thought of where the tails go until now. They've probably gone through about 100 mice by now and none of them have had any digestive problems. I wouldn't worry.
The SO got the cats the Cosmic Kitty Alpine Cat Scratcher (http://www.cosmicpet.com/scratchers.htm) for Christmas. It's their second one and they love it. The last one was destroyed when my aquarium leaked, so the cats are probably wondering why we took away their favorite scratcher for a couple years. When the SO unwrapped it all three cats lined up to take a turn. They love it, and the little grooves can be filled with so much catnip.
For toy mice the only ones they don't destroy are these kind. (http://www.thecatconnection.com/page/TCC/PROD/TYS-MICE/TYS-1803) The store we bought them at had them branded as "Tough Enough" or maybe "Tuff Enuff" or some other weird spelling for the brand name. Anyway - these are the only mice they don't destroy. They do play with them, but they seem to prefer the fur ones (but maybe because they're newer toys? They do go back to the Tough ones after the others have been destroyed or lost forever under the dryer.)
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I wouldn't worry. My guys would eat a pound of tinsel each every Christmas. Nice, shiny poop in the litterbox.
That is really interesting, because I've always been led to believe that eating tinsel meant instant death.
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That is really interesting, because I've always been led to believe that eating tinsel meant instant death.
Well sure, for humans...
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According to the veterinarian I worked next door to tinsel can cause serious internal blockages - she told me she has put down many cats over the years because the owner couldn't afford the very expensive surgery to remove the blockage, or because the internal damage is too bad. I've heard other people tell me of their cat having a tiny tinsel tail poking out of their butt and the vet telling them to carefully trim it as it comes out to prevent internal damage from the cat attempting to pull it out during grooming. Knowing that it can kill them I long ago bought Lee Valley tin tinsel (http://www.leevalley.com/gifts/page.aspx?c=1&p=45140&cat=4,104,53211&ap=3) which is prettier and reusable year to year.
This site (http://www.cat-world.com.au/XmasSafety.htm) says real tree needles and the water they sit in are toxic to cats. This is news to me - one of the cats occasionally nibbles the needles of our tree. He doesn't eat them though, but he seems to like to feel them on his teeth and whiskers. The other cat used to drink from the old tree stand all the time, but our new one doesn't have a reservoir they can get at. They seem fine.
I used to have a tiny fake tree - maybe 2 1/2 ft tall, and I would regularly come home to find that the cat had knocked it over and dragged it down the hall or into another room, and one night I woke up to noise and caught him dragging it down the hall. I don't know what the hell he was doing, but he used to do the same with pillows. I taped it to the floor with a bunch of packing tape, but I would come home from work to find that he'd pulled up the tape and pulled it across the room anyway. I'd reapply the tape and he'd do it again and again. He definitely wasn't eating it - there was no sign of chewing. Such odd behavior.
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People who write those lists of what's toxic to pets rarely consult primary sources.Here (http://www.avma.org/communications/brochures/hazards/household_brochure.pdf) is a good source from an actual veterinary organization. They don't mention tree needles. One thing it says is that poinsettias are not as toxic as everyone says - and if you go to the AKC website you'll see that this year's press release on holiday hazards the repeat the same old list with poinsettia on it. So even organizations with big press departments just copy all the other lists on the internet...
As far as I can tell the only risk of tree water is that standing water can get full of gross bacteria. Some sites say this, others just list 'tree water' as though it has some mysterious poisonous power. Of course, stuff you add to the water to feed the tree can also be bad, but that's not the fault of the water.
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People who write those lists of what's toxic to pets rarely consult primary sources.Here (http://www.avma.org/communications/brochures/hazards/household_brochure.pdf) is a good source from an actual veterinary organization.
The pamphlet says Avocado is dangerout to cats, which was something I hadn't heard - and my cats love avocado - so I searched "Avocado Cat" and the first hit was fora cat food made with avocado (http://www.breeders-choice.com/cat_products/avodermcat.htm), followed by an article about how every part of the avocado is poisen to cats. (http://www.catchannel.com/News/november-06/2006-11-09-Avocado-Dangerous-to-Cats.aspx) Hunh?
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Obviously you've found the venomous confluence of the Cat Food and Avocado lobbies.
Soon they're going to be starting up their television campaigns.
"AVOCADOS: Bad for CATS... Bad for AMERICA."
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for some reason, I really like the phrase "every part of the avocado is poison to cats."
"what's this, son. This is... this is poison."
"no, dad! my... I'm just holding that for my friend! it's guacamole!"
"no, son. it isn't guacamole. it's poison. this is poison."
"aren't you thinking of the rinds? avocado rinds could be poisonous..."
"no. Every part of the avocado is poison to cats."
I guess because it isn't that it's "poisonous," it is "POISON."
also, the word Poison is one of the ones that looks really wrong if you type it out too many times.
Maybe we're reluctant to think avocados can be poison because we love them so much. But, you know, every rose has its thorn. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiEpLI5exrU)
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The pamphlet says Avocado is dangerout to cats, which was something I hadn't heard - and my cats love avocado - so I searched "Avocado Cat" and the first hit was fora cat food made with avocado (http://www.breeders-choice.com/cat_products/avodermcat.htm), followed by an article about how every part of the avocado is poisen to cats. (http://www.catchannel.com/News/november-06/2006-11-09-Avocado-Dangerous-to-Cats.aspx) Hunh?
Weird.
I knew it was bad for dogs. I didn't know about cats, and that food is very mysterious in light of that information. You should email them and ask!
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also, the word Poison is one of the ones that looks really wrong if you type it out too many times.
Sometimes when I mis-type it, it comes out poisson (pwa-sohn) - which is either giraffe or a mathematical distribution. Either way, spell checks fail to catch it.
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Maybe it's just avocado flavoured so that cats too can know the joy of avocado. Like that bizzare dog chocolate.
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Looking into this further, the Avocado cat (& dog) food site has this info refuting the ASPCA's claims (http://www.breeders-choice.com/cat_products/avocadosafety.htm), while every single pet food safety page on the ASPCA site claims Avocados are toxic to all pets. Looking into it even further, I found this warning info (http://www.cbif.gc.ca/pls/pp/ppack.info?p_psn=238&p_type=all&p_sci=comm&p_x=px) on a government of Canada site which notes a few studies that have found the leaves to be toxic to several animals, and this article (http://kgkat.tripod.com/avocado.html) which sites many more recent studies. Wikipedia talks about the specific toxin Persin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persin) and sites some studies that seem to point to it's toxic nature for mammals. None of the actual research I read refers any studies on cats, but with all the varieties of mammals (dogs, hosss, goats, hares, rats) and birds that avocados have been found to be toxic to, I suppose that's where the ASPCA's blanket opposition to the feed of avocados to all pets comes from. I've found several assertions all over the web that Avocado is toxic to cats, but not a single reference to an actual instance where this has been the case or any study that included cats. It's interesting that so many sites offer assertions without any back up. At least I was able to find several studies that show avocados as being toxic to mammals. I wont be intentionally giving them avocados any more since they don't need them in any way. All the more for me!
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I can't think of a situation I would give a pet an avocado.
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aren't...
aren't we mammals?
this is not really a question. rhetorical.
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Also that.
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It's interesting that so many sites offer assertions without any back up.
That's the internet - porn, and assertions copied from other sites without any backup.
I am in touch with the ASPCA sometimes, in fact I have to contact them about something else today. I'll think about how to work that question in.
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aren't...
aren't we mammals?
this is not really a question. rhetorical.
Yeah, one of those studies shows a severe reaction in certain people to a scratch test with concentrated persin, but then goes on to theorize that exposure to several other related foods leads to a tolerance of the toxin - they mentioned Cantaloupe and a bunch of other fruits I can't recall. There's actually a study testing persin as a treatment for breast cancer, and another I read about a while back studying how the toxin in puffer giraffe may also treat cancer. And my friend's husband is currently working on a cure for... I think it's either MS of Cystic Fibrosis... using Ebola.
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aren't...
aren't we mammals?
this is not really a question. rhetorical.
Every part of you is a mammal.
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Every part of you is a mammal.
Your whole family is made of meat.
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Wait, you mean the eubacteria in my gut give live birth? And lactate?
WEIRDED OUT
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Your whole family is made of meat.
Including the cats and guinea pigs! My house has a built in menu for at least 3 weeks for when the government inevitably tries to take me down.
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I can't think of a situation I would give a pet an avocado.
I had the same reaction, but then I remembered that I had an avocado tree at my last house. Both dogs devoured fallen fruit with delight, and neither suffered for the experience.
Man, I miss that tree. It was like winning the lottery. Everyone's your friend when you have an avocado tree.
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I had the same reaction, but then I remembered that I had an avocado tree at my last house. Both dogs devoured fallen fruit with delight, and neither suffered for the experience.
Man, I miss that tree. It was like winning the lottery. Everyone's your friend when you have an avocado tree.
Oh jeeeeez!! I would LOOOVE an avocado tree. When I finally buy a house, i'm going to build a Thrombe wall on the south side, and also put a greenhouse or conservatory or something back there. I will try my damndest to grow an avocado tree. You can't just grow one from a seed, they're apparently really finicky and so you have to buy one that's had other avocado branches grafted into it. But STILL! FREE AVOCADOS that are just yours for the pickin'!
Jay, what state (or country) did you live in when you had the avocado tree? California?
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Oh jeeeeez!! I would LOOOVE an avocado tree. When I finally buy a house, i'm going to build a Thrombe wall on the south side, and also put a greenhouse or conservatory or something back there. I will try my damndest to grow an avocado tree. You can't just grow one from a seed, they're apparently really finicky and so you have to buy one that's had other avocado branches grafted into it.
You also need patience. Its something like 5 years for the first fruit to bear. Ours was over 20. It was enormous (and a great climbing tree too).
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You also need patience.
Forsooth, I am already disqualified!
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I guess avocado tree answers my question.
I have four avocados, which are probably not going to be that great, ripening as we speak.
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Forsooth, I am already disqualified!
If you have a lot of money, you could just buy a tree that was already aged. Large trees cost a lot of money, though.
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My avocado surplus is because sometimes we have sales when they're in season where it's cheaper to buy a sack of avocados than the few I do need. This usually only happens with avocados that are already ripe, and I find if I eat too much of them at once, it bothers my stomach a bit because they're so rich. Naturally, since the cats love the stuff, and since I know avocado has a lot of the healthy fat in it, I figured why not give each cat a chunk now and then - I've also used it to moisturize my skin and as a hair treatment, all of which work great. If the option is two avocados or six for the same price, why not take six?
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I went out to lunch for the first time in about a month today.
I went to the Mexican buffet.
I ate about a pound of guacamole.
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Wait... a pound isn't that much really is it?
Anyway - is so good!
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Wait... a pound isn't that much really is it?
Anyway - is so good!
A pound is half a fuckin' kilo, you crazy lovable Canadian!!!
That is a lot of guacamole. Mmm...guacamole.
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A kilo is 1000 grams, it's easy to remember.
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Wait, you mean the eubacteria in my gut give live birth? And lactate?
WEIRDED OUT
I was thinking basically the same thing, but then I thought that no one here would think that the majority of all the cells within my body, which are indeed bacteria, are actually a part of my body, so I didn't bother. But perhaps that's something that people actually need to be reminded of? The majority of cells within your body are bacteria, and not actually a part of you.
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But perhaps that's something that people actually need to be reminded of? The majority of cells within your body are bacteria, and not actually a part of you.
NO thank you I did not.
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A pound is half a fuckin' kilo, you crazy lovable Canadian!!!
That is a lot of guacamole. Mmm...guacamole.
No - we use pound measurements for most foodstuffs in Canada (produce, meats, etc.), so I know exactly how much a pound is. I was asking if it was "that much" in the embarassed, uncomfortable way, not the confused way. In a "I know it shouldn't be so" sort of way, a pound of guacamole isn't that much to me. I have most definitely eaten a pound of guacamole a few times in my life, but thankfully when I make it I dice up a couple tomatoes in it, so... I suppose I was at least not eating pure, delicious fat and fat alone. Guacamole is one of those compulsive foods for me. If I make it, I'm eating it, and I'm eating it until it's all gone. I have had more than one meal of guacamole and tortillas in my life.
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Jay, what state (or country) did you live in when you had the avocado tree? California?
Yep, California.
(http://www.fotolode.com/images/jaydub/pacsthouse.jpg)
That's it in the back yard, right up against the house.
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I heard that there is a crazy water shortage and the avacado farmers have been cut off. They are plowing under 20% of their trees.
Avacado was already expensive, sigh.
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Like Water for Avocado.
I cried because of a knitted afghan a couple days ago, so, you know... I can understand the avocado thing.
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I cry every year when the Contemporary service at my church has "Banjo Sunday."
Every year.
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Banjo music makes baby jebus cry too.
;)
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My work neighbor farms avocados. October's fires ran through a lot of the prime North San Diego County growers and wiped their asses out so yeah, prices be rising around here at least.
When my Grampa died in '82 Unky Dan gave my parents a little 'cado tree in a bucket. They planted it in the backyard and now that sucker is immense and is a falling fruit hazard to man and pet. Yesterday my parents dropped by with a bag bigger than Asherbaby of Grampa 'cados. I'm eating half of one for lunch sliced over my homemade beef enchiladas leftover from Saturday's house party.
Stay with me people, this post is what Old Coot Nostalgia feels like.
'Cados seasoned with the mental tears of reminiscence are pretty damn good.
Holy shit, dude. Hella poignant. Tiny can.
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My family's inappropriate nostalgia target is the Bird Clock, one of those wall clocks that plays a different birdcall on the hour every hour. It was one of the few things we asked for when Grandma died, because it reminds us of their house, as strange as it is. I don't exactly get choked up every time the hour chimes, but I do think of them.
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V, my father-in-law has his dad's bird clock hanging in their kitchen.
I get it.
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Damn, Ash. Very nostalgic and poignant.
Anyway, I had to repost to this thread because Lennybruce just ate a scrap of paper, right in front of me. Dammit! He started batting at it, and I figured he was just going to play with it, but then he just ate it before I could get it out of his mouth. Little bastard. At least paper is biodegradable.
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Petunia ate some tinfoil from a mini-reese's cup a few days ago. I saw her sniffing at it, and thought "No way will she eat that one she gets a taste of it", but then remembered as it disappeared that the main reason tinfoil tastes bad to us is because of the electrochemistry between fillings and the foil. She had a poop with fancy goldish ornamentation yesterday - so no harm done I suppose.
I wonder if the recent trends towards resin fillings instead of amalgam will mean that future generations of people won't know the awfulness of accidentally getting a bit of foil in with their hastily unwrapped Hershey's Kiss.
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My 22 lb. cat Bob has eaten, on occasion, an entire loaf of wheat bread, about a fist-sized chunk of Mexican laundry soap (in bar form), and licked up a 4'x4' section of bathroom floor worth of Tilex. I usually don't get too spun up when I hear about pets eating odd things.
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my dog has licked our floor so much that he has worn through the polish in some places.
this makes my parents dislike him even more.
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My 22 lb. cat Bob has eaten, on occasion, an entire loaf of wheat bread, about a fist-sized chunk of Mexican laundry soap (in bar form), and licked up a 4'x4' section of bathroom floor worth of Tilex. I usually don't get too spun up when I hear about pets eating odd things.
Last week, my father came home for lunch to find a loaf of sourdough bread on the floor, carefully removed from its bag (which was covered in small tooth-holes) and with the heel gnawed off. This is yet another piece of evidence suggesting that the new kitten is both enthusiastically omnivorous and maybe a little too smart for anyone's good.
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Our cats will eat anything vaguely edible and quite a few things that aren't. I only worry if it's something indigestible.
Yesterday I brought home a tiny fir tree, and the cats are obsessed with it. I made this video of them (http://youtube.com/watch?v=Fz4ACLK0P4M)*: note they aren't actually breaking off or eating pieces - they're just sniffing it, "chewing" the air around it or tasting it without actually removing any pieces from the plant. Odd behavior.
*You get to hear me talk. Sadly I don't say anything distinctly Canadian.
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awesome. I love when cats do these things.
I love your voice. It reminds me of someone, I do not remember who.
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I guess I should have added the obligatory:
My cat's breath smells like Tilex.
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Last week, my father came home for lunch to find a loaf of sourdough bread on the floor, carefully removed from its bag (which was covered in small tooth-holes) and with the heel gnawed off. This is yet another piece of evidence suggesting that the new kitten is both enthusiastically omnivorous and maybe a little too smart for anyone's good.
This is simply too cute for words. It makes me want to have a cat again. But my apartment is tiny, so the cat would go crazy. (kind of like me)
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I wonder if the recent trends towards resin fillings instead of amalgam will mean that future generations of people won't know the awfulness of accidentally getting a bit of foil in with their hastily unwrapped Hershey's Kiss.
Um...I don't any have fillings, and I think tinfoil tastes pretty bad.
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I too have no fillings and practically have seizure of disgust if tin foil gets in my teeth.
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I gotta couple fillings, but didn't have any until my 30s. This fact often makes people inexplicably angry.
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No fillings here.
No strong feelings about tin foil also.
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I am pretty sure I have never had a filling.
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I am pretty sure I have never had a filling.
Hm. Have you ever woken up in a bathtub full of ice with a mysterious scar?
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No fillings no cavities in my teeth. Perfect dental health. Heres the trick - I dont brush my teeth. I use listerine 2-3 times a day. That shit kills whatever the hell is growing in my mouth before it gets out of hand, without being abrasive to my gums or tooth enamel.
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Mel, that's such a great fuckin' video! I want to put videos of Milan and Lenny on the intarwubs. I need to get a camcorder.
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No fillings no cavities in my teeth. Perfect dental health. Heres the trick - I dont brush my teeth. I use listerine 2-3 times a day. That shit kills whatever the hell is growing in my mouth before it gets out of hand, without being abrasive to my gums or tooth enamel.
heh heh
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No fillings no cavities in my teeth. Perfect dental health. Heres the trick - I dont brush my teeth. I use listerine 2-3 times a day. That shit kills whatever the hell is growing in my mouth before it gets out of hand, without being abrasive to my gums or tooth enamel.
Damn. Let us know how that works out for you in about 10 years. Do you smoke? Do you floss?
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Damn. Let us know how that works out for you in about 10 years. Do you smoke? Do you floss?
No, no - just let it go.
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I visit a dentist twice a year who gives things the check n' clean. Ive gotten the clean bill of health so far. You all laugh because youve been taught that rubbing harsh brushes across tender gums and non-replaceable enamel is the way to go. Sorry, but I prefer liquid to squeeze around the corners and kill the bad guys.
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Our cats will eat anything vaguely edible and quite a few things that aren't. I only worry if it's something indigestible.
Yesterday I brought home a tiny fir tree, and the cats are obsessed with it. I made this video of them (http://youtube.com/watch?v=Fz4ACLK0P4M)*: note they aren't actually breaking off or eating pieces - they're just sniffing it, "chewing" the air around it or tasting it without actually removing any pieces from the plant. Odd behavior.
*You get to hear me talk. Sadly I don't say anything distinctly Canadian.
Wow, what gorgeous cats! Are they related? They look really similar.
Also, what are the songs in that video? I can't get them out of my head now.
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I visit a dentist twice a year who gives things the check n' clean. Ive gotten the clean bill of health so far. You all laugh because youve been taught that rubbing harsh brushes across tender gums and non-replaceable enamel is the way to go. Sorry, but I prefer liquid to squeeze around the corners and kill the bad guys.
I'm with AC here, sort of. I brush once a day, gently, with a soft brush. (I could use a toothbrush for three years without it showing wear -- Pedro's start to fray after 2 weeks, I think he brushes waaaaaaaay to hard.) Listerine (orange flavor!) and sugarless gum are friends of mine. I don't drink soda with sugar in it -- diet only. And I floss 2 - 3x/wk. I think that's the key to avoiding gum disease -- vigilant flossage. And I get complimented on my oral hygiene every time I go to the dentist -- about once every 2 years.
My brother-in-law's friend, who is a dentist, once told him that if he walked into a drugstore with a buck, and toothpaste and a toothbrush were $0.50 each and dental floss was $1, he'd buy the floss, no question. It's that much more important.
I have trouble with regular floss, so we get those Reach Flossers (http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=147204&catid=95337) for the back teeth. More expensive than a roll of store-brand floss, but cheaper than a root canal.
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Wow, what gorgeous cats! Are they related? They look really similar.
Also, what are the songs in that video? I can't get them out of my head now.
They are pretty awesome. Day three and the plant is still in one piece. Baby and Zha Zha are sisters and littermates, Max isn't related to them.
The first song is Hawksley Workman's "Your Beauty Must be Rubbing Off (on Me)." The second is The Yeah Yeah Yeahs "Down Boy."
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I hit the Listerine three times a day too, but that's only because the plea bargain doesn't allow me to visit the ABC stores anymore.
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I gotta couple fillings, but didn't have any until my 30s. This fact often makes people inexplicably angry.
My father who is 70 has perfect teeth. His mother, who was a school teacher, had calcium cravings when she was pregnant with him. She ate the chalk and my father has indestructible teeth.
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My father who is 70 has perfect teeth. His mother, who was a school teacher, had calcium cravings when she was pregnant with him. She ate the chalk and my father has indestructible teeth.
Did she have the pica? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pica_%28disorder%29)
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Pica....chew?